US6065558A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Anti-rollover brake system
Assignee: Dynamotive IP LLC
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Filing: 1998-06-30
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Granted: 2000-05-23
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Expires: 2018-06-30
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a brake system for preventing a friction rollover of a vehicle. The brake system includes a set of brakes for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the respective wheels of the vehicle, a sensor for producing a rollover signal in response to a predetermined force urging the vehicle to rollover, and a control for actuating the brakes in a predetermined program in response to the rollover signal. In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller actuates both front brakes in response to the rollover signal. In another embodiment of the present invention, the controller brakes the most heavily loaded front tire in response to the rollover signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas J. Wielenga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 05:21
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60T; B60T8/00; B60T8/17; B60T8/1755; B60T8/17554; B60G; B60G17/00; B60G17/015; B60G17/016; B60G17/0162; B60G3/00; B60G3/18; B60T7/00; B60T7/12; B60T8/24; B60T8/241; B60T8/243; B60T8/32; B60T8/58; B60G2400/00; B60G2400/10; B60G2400/104; B60G2400/20; B60G2400/208; B60G2400/50; B60G2800/00; B60G2800/01; B60G2800/012; B60G2800/0124; B60G2800/24; B60G2800/244; B60G2800/90; B60G2800/91; B60G2800/912; B60G2800/9122; B60G2800/92; B60G2800/922; B60T2230/00; B60T2230/03; B60T2240/00; B60T2240/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A brake system for a vehicle having front and rear wheels, the system comprising: a set of brakes for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the front and rear wheels, said set of brakes including a front set of brakes for applying pressure to resist the rotation of said front wheels and a rear set of brakes for applying pressure to resist the rotation of said rear wheels; a sensor for producing a rollover signal in response to a predetermined force urging the vehicle to rollover; and a control for applying said front set of brakes in a predetermined program in response to said rollover signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
107 words
A brake system for a vehicle having front and rear wheels, the system comprising: a set of brakes for applying pressure to resist the rotation of the front and rear wheels, said set of brakes including a front set of brakes for applying pressure to resist the rotation of said front wheels and a rear set of brakes for applying pressure to resist the rotation of said rear wheels; a sensor for producing a rollover signal in response to a predetermined force urging the vehicle to rollover; and a control for applying said front set of brakes in a predetermined program in response to said rollover signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said predetermined force is proportional to a lateral acceleration of the vehicle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control actuates said brakes to apply a maximum amount of pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said control actuates said brakes to apply an amount of pressure proportional to said lateral acceleration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of front brakes and said control actuates the pair of front brakes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of front brakes and said control actuates one of the front brakes based upon the direction of said predetermined force.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises an accelerometer for measuring lateral acceleration of the vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises an instrument for measuring the roll angle of the vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said instrument comprises one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a roll rate sensor, and sensors measuring the distance between the vehicle and the wheels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A brake system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a pair of rebound bumpers positioned near a wheel on opposite sides of the vehicle and said sensor comprises a pair of switches for signaling compression of either of said rebound bumpers.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for preventing a rollover of a vehicle having at least a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, the steps of the method comprising: providing a set of front brakes; said front brakes including an independently actuable brake for each front wheel for separately applying pressure to resist the rotation of each of the front wheels; providing a sensor for sensing an impending rollover condition; providing a control for actuating at least one of said independently actuable brakes; sensing an impending rollover condition; and applying said at least one independently actuable brake, braking at least one of said front wheels of the vehicle in response to sensing the impending rollover condition, said control acting independently of other vehicle control systems.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for preventing a rollover of a vehicle having at least a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, the steps of the method comprising: providing a set of front brakes; said front brakes including an independently actuable brake for each front wheel for separately applying pressure to resist the rotation of each of the front wheels; providing a sensor for sensing an impending rollover condition; providing a control for actuating at least one of said independently actuable brakes; sensing an impending rollover condition; and applying said at least one independently actuable brake, braking at least one of said front wheels of the vehicle in response to sensing the impending rollover condition, said control acting independently of other vehicle control systems.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 including the step of determining a critical amount of force to roll the vehicle over during a turn prior to the step of sensing the impending rollover condition.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the step of sensing the impending rollover condition is further defined as measuring a predetermined amount of force less than the critical amount of force.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the step of braking the wheels is further defined as braking the wheels in response to measuring the predetermined amount of force.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the step of providing the sensor is further defined as providing an accelerometer for measuring the amount of lateral acceleration placed on the vehicle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the step of sensing the impending rollover condition is further defined as measuring a predetermined critical amount of lateral acceleration placed on the vehicle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the step of braking the wheels is further defined as braking the wheels in response to measuring the predetermined critical amount of lateral acceleration placed on the center of gravity of the vehicle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the vehicle includes a pair of rebound bumpers positioned near a wheel on opposite sides of the vehicle and the step of providing the sensor is further defined as providing a switch for signaling compression of either of the rebound bumpers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as set forth in claim 18 wherein the step of sensing an impending rollover condition is further defined as sensing compression of either of the rebound bumpers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the step of braking the wheels is further defined as braking the wheels in response to sensing compression of either of the rebound bumpers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the step of providing the sensor is further defined as providing one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a roll rate sensor, and sensors measuring the distance between the vehicle and the wheels to measure the roll angle of the vehicle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the step of sensing the impending rollover condition is further defined as measuring a predetermined critical roll angle of the vehicle.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the step of braking the vehicle is further defined as braking the vehicle in response to measuring the predetermined critical roll angle.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the step of braking the wheels is further defined as applying a maximum amount of pressure to the wheels.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the step of braking the wheels is further defined as applying an amount of pressure to the wheels proportional to the lateral acceleration placed on the center of gravity of the vehicle.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the vehicle includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of front brakes and the step of braking the wheels is further defined as braking the front wheels.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the vehicle includes a pair of front wheels and a pair of front brakes and the method further includes the step of determining the front wheel loaded with the largest amount of lateral force prior to the step of braking the wheels.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the step of braking the wheels is further defined as braking the front wheel loaded with the largest amount of lateral force.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-05-23 | 2003-11-22 | 2004-05-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-05-23 | 2007-11-22 | 2008-05-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-05-23 | 2011-11-22 | 2012-05-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |